


The Necessity of Awkward

by last_illusions (injured_eternity)



Category: Criminal Minds, NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe, CM Family Verse, Crossover, Families of Choice, LGBT families
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-23
Updated: 2009-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-17 08:43:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/175021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/injured_eternity/pseuds/last_illusions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I was not aware the Justice Department assigned partners.” On rare occasions, putting your foot in your mouth isn't automatically disastrous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Necessity of Awkward

“Hey.”

The stranger stands off to the side in the parking lot of the gym, leaning against the back of a black Suburban. His suit, next to that car, makes him look like a fed, but there’s a… roguish element to his appearance that seems a little too contradictory. Ziva David’s instinctive reaction is wariness (it’s not entirely the result of her Mossad training), but Aaron Hotchner offers the man a warm, open grin.

“Hey,” he returns, then gestures at Ziva. “Ziva David, my partner, Dave Rossi.”

“Pleasure to finally meet you,” Dave says, extending a hand. His voice is a smooth, velvet tenor, even and self-assured. Dark eyes appraise her without being intrusive, gauging without judging as she does the same, and her opinion of him goes up just a touch.

“And you,” she answers, returning the firm grip. Then she grins. “I was not aware the Justice Department assigned partners,” she comments, and Dave and Aaron exchange amused glances.

She fails, for a moment, to see what is so funny, and then Dave drops his left hand onto Aaron’s shoulder, possessive, but not demanding. Three years of watching Aaron for the slightest indicator of movement makes the shift of his weight obvious as he leans into the other man’s touch. The matching gold bands catch her eye as Aaron responds wryly, “They don’t,” and then she finds herself blushing. Putting her foot in her mouth is not something she is all that used to.

“I am sorry,” she begins, awkward, but they both brush it off before she can continue.

“Don’t be,” Dave tells her with a grin. “We have heard much, much worse.”

Elbowing his partner in the ribs, Aaron shakes his head. “Really—don’t worry about it.” It’s the same wry tone, with about equal parts amusement at others and themselves. “It’s not… well, it’s not usually a first guess.”

“You get points for catching on so quickly,” Dave offers.

She chuckles softly, dark eyes crinkling at the corners. “Do you carry cards?”

“It might be easier if we did,” he responds drily. “Listen,” he adds with a brief glance at Aaron, “I was just stopping by to grab him for lunch and see if I could meet this brilliant sparring partner of his.” His grin is infectious and more than a little conspiratorial, and Aaron ducks his head with just a touch of embarrassment that she finds strangely endearing. “Why don’t you join us?”

Shaking her head, she holds up a hand. “No, please—I would not wish to impose.”

“You won’t be—you’ll just be taking sides a lot.”

Laughing, she resists the urge to roll her eyes; it is not hard to see why these two are together. “How can I resist such an appealing invitation?”

Still grinning, Dave nudges Aaron toward the other side of the car. “You can’t,” he informs her. “So we’ll even give you a lift.”

 _Finis._

 _Feedback is always appreciated._


End file.
